Bombardier job loss ‘scandal’ signals ‘deep-rooted’ problems

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Following this morning’s announcement by Bombardier that they are to lay off 1,400 workers from their facility in Derby, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow has called it a ‘scandal’.

“It’s a scandal that the Government are colluding with the European Union in a policy of industrial vandalism that would wipe out train building in the nation that gave the railways to the world.

“We will fight this stitch up tooth and nail from the shop floor to the benches of the House of Commons.

‘”German rail giant Deutsche Bahn awarded a £5 billion fleet contract to German company Siemens and no one batted an eyelid but when it comes to British skilled manufacturing jobs getting support from this government all we get is a pack of excuses and they stand exposed as totally impotent in light of the BombardierThameslink scandal,” Mr Crow said.

Stephen Tetlow, Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said:

“The job losses at Bombardier signal a further decline in core UK engineering skills. It’s desperately sad, but not surprising.

“This is not a problem with a single contract to build the new Thameslink trains, but symptomatic of a more serious and deep-rooted malaise.

“The UK has no clear vision for its long-term transport infrastructure for which British manufacturing can tool-up, raise funds, and develop skills.

“The UK is on course to remain one of the worst performing European countries in terms of transport infrastructure for the next 10 years – even with projects like High Speed Rail 2 and the new Hitachi train building plant in the North East.

“Vital national strategic capabilities such as transport, energy and defence demand clear long-term visionary thinking and joined up government action.

“Without these the UK is stuck in the sidings and well-intentioned initiatives to boost engineering apprenticeships and encourage technology innovation will be meaningless – especially in Derby.”

A recent survey by the Institution found that of the 1,000 manufacturers polled just 12% thought that the UK government was performing well on manufacturing.

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